Envelope-machine.



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ENVELOP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR 20 1901 rm 0 9 1 0 1 T G O D E T N E T A P L 0 m RE. Nw OHM HGM H T m AMP LM .En PV BBL P P A 4 SHEETS-SHEET 2 WW T FBI-E.

m N WEI EH. m mm NMM No. 801,562. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905. E. P. WATERHOUSE. ENVELOP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 141111.20, 19-01 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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W x mm i 1 v a N mm i r o mkw KQU N. mm a I? mm m m i |TN Kie V, .M. WW. m a m No. 801,562. PATENTED OCT. 10, 1905. E. P. WATERHOUSE.

ENVELOP MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.20, 1901.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

A. M. lllllllllg 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'Illlfl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ONE-HALF TO TVOROESTER ENX ELOPE COMPANY, OF WORCESTER,

MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSE' TS.

ENVELOP-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1905.

Application filed March 20, 1901. Serial No. 51,966.

Be it known that I, EZRA P. TVA'rnRHoUsn, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vorcester, in the county of \Vorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop-Machines,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to envelop-machines, and more particularly to improvements in certain parts of an envelop-maehineto wit, the m cchanism for removingthe envelops from the drier, the mechanism for counting and bunching the envelops, and the gumming-rolls.

The object of my invention is to improve upon and simplify the ordinary construction of the parts of an envelop-machine above mentioned; and my invention consists in certain novel features of construction of said parts, as will be hereinafter fully described.

I have only shown in the drawings sufficient parts of an envelop-machine with my improvements applied thereto as will enable those skilled in the art to which my invention belongs to understand the construction and operation thereof.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improvements looking in the direction of arrow (4, Fig. 2. Fig. 9. is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of arrow 1), same figure. Fig. 3 shows a different position of some of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a section on line i A, Fig. 3, looking in the direction of arrow 0, same figure. Fig. 5 shows the counting and indicating finger detached. Fig. 6 shows the cam of the counting and bunching mechanism. Fig. 7 is a rear view of the bunching mechanism, taken at a point indicated by line 7 7, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of arrow (Z, same figure. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of some of the parts shown in Fig. 7. Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, are shown on an enlarged scale.

In my improvements the envelops are removed from the drier in a direction in alinement with the drier and carried into the till, which is located in the same vertical plane as the drier, instead of being removed from one side of the drier and carried into a till located at one side of the drier, as is customary.

In the accompanying drawings, 1 is a portion of the main frame, and 2 a portion of the top of the machine. A supplemental frame 3 supports the till 4 and the counting and bunching mechanism to be hereinafter dc scribed.

The drier or drying-chain 5 consists of a series of metal fingers 6, linked together at their inner ends and mounted and .moved around in the ordinary way by mechanism (not shown) on the triangular frame 7, which is rigidly supported within the frame of the machine, as is customary.

The upper end of the triangular frame 7 is preferably flattened. as shown in Fig. 1, and 5 has an angular projection. as indicated at 7, to cause the metal fingers 6 to be moved apart at their upper ends as the drying-chain in its revolution passes over the projection 7' to be in position to readily receive the folded en- 7 velop as it is delivered from the folding-box.

In connection with the drier 5 I employ a slide or pusher the travel of which may be adjusted to push the envelops out of the drier in a direction in alinement with the drier onto a lifter-plate, which carries them into the till i.

The pusher for removing the envelops from the drier consists in this instance oftwo rods 8, having a reciprocating motion in stationary bearings 9. Each rod 8 has attached to its 30 inner end a pusher 10, which engages the corners of the envelops on their inner edge, and also a spring blade or hinder 11, which has a recess or a curved portion 11 therein and extends out beyond the pusher 10. The two 5 binders 11 extend over the envelop and hold it in position on the metal finger 6 of the drier as it is pushed onto the lifter-plate, and the curved portion or recess 11' in the binder 11 prevents the envelop from binding and al- 9 lows it to drop freely onto thelifter-plate, the inner edge of the envelop extending up into the recess or curved portion 11 as the envelop is pushed out of the drier.

I have on the inner surface of one of the sides of the till 4 at its inner open end an inclined guide-strip 69 in the path of the envelop as it is pushed out of the drier and against which the outer corner of the envelop strikes and is guided in front of the counting- I00 finger onto the lifter-plate. (See Figs. 1, 2, and 4.)

The two rods 8 of the mechanism for pushing the envelops out of the drier 5 have communicated to them a reciprocating motion at 5 regular predetermined intervals, in this inrying the envelops into the till and for count stance by means of a cam 12 on the main driving-shaft 13 of the machine, which actuates the two levers 14 and 14, secured together by a rod 15 and pivoted on studs 16 on the drierframe 7, through the lever 17, having a slot '17 therein, through which the shaft 13 extends, and carrying a roll 17" at itsouter end, which engages the periphery of the cam 12. The inner end of the lever 17 is adjustably connected by a bolt 18 with an elongated slot 14 in the lever 14. (See Fig. 1.) A spring 19, secured at one end to the lever 17 and at its other end to a stationary part of the machine, acts to hold the roll 17 on the lever 17 in engagement with the periphery of the cam 12. Each lever 14 and 14 is connected by a link or connector 21 with a pin or stud 22, secured to the rod 8 and traveling in an elongated slot 9' in the bearing 9, as shown in Fig. 1.

By means of the slot 14 in the lever 14 and the bolt 18 on the lever 17 the position of the inner end of the lever 17 may be adjusted as desired to vary the movement of the levers 14 and 14 and through intermediate connections the movement or travel of the mechanism for pushing the envelops out of the drier, so that the travel of said mechanism may be greater or less, as desired.

I will'now describe the mechanism for caring and bunching the envelops.

The till 4 is open at its inner. end and has its sides extended beyond the bottom of the till. The bottom of the till at its inner end is curved downwardly, as shown at 4', Figs. 1 and 2, and has extending out from the downward-curved part a horizontal plate 4", on which are supported parts of the machine to be hereinafter described. On a rock-shaft 23, turning in bearings 24, secured to the under side of the till 4, is fast the hub 25 of an arm 25, (see broken lines, Fig. 4,) and to the outer end of the arm 25 is secured to move with said arm 25 the envelop-lifting plate 26, onto which the envelops are pushed from the drier 5. A rocking motion is communicated to the shaft 23 to raise and lower the lifter-plate 26 by a cam 27 on the shaft 28, whichcextends through a slot in the lever 29, carrying a roll 29 in engagement with the periphery of said cam 27 and held in engagement therewith by a spring 29" (see Fig. 2) and a crank-arm 30, fast on the end of the shaft 23. Extending through a slot 4- in the curved part 4 of the till 4 is the projecting end of a tilting finger 31, the lower end of which is fast on a rock-shaft 32, mounted in bearings 32 on the plate 4", and on which is also fast and extending at substantially right angles to the finger 31 an indicating-finger 33. A weight 34 is also fast on the shaft 32 and extends out upon the opposite side of said rockshaft to counterbalance the weight of the finger 33 and return the finger 31 to its normal position after it is moved by a passing envelop. The outer end of the finger 33 in its downward movement (caused by an envelop being raised on the lifter-plate 26 and engaging and moving over the finger 31) engages the bent end 35 of the'pawl 35 and moves it down and causes it to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 36, as shown in Fig. 3. The pawl 35 is pivotally supported at 35." on one arm of the two-armed lever 37, centrally pivoted on a shaft 38. The opposite arm of said two-armed lever 37 is connected with the lever 39, which is actuated by a cam 40, fast on the shaft 28, (which shaft extends through an elongated opening in said lever 39,) through the engagement of the roll 41 on said lever 39 with the periphery of said cam 40. Aspring 42 acts to hold the roll 41 .in engagement with the periphery of the cam 40. (See Fig. 1.)

It will be seen that through the revolution of the cam and intermediate connections a regular motion is communicated to the pawl 35, which is normally held out of engagement with the ratchet 36 by a spring 43, Figs. 1 and 3; but when the free end 35 of the pawl 35 is depressed by the engagement of the finger 33 during the passing of an envelop over the finger 31 then the ratchet 36 is moved one tooth. The passing of the envelop by the finger 31 releases said finger 31 and allows the weight 34 to return the fingers 31 and 33 to their normal positions (shown in Fig. 1) and disengage the finger 33 from the projecting end 35 of the pawl 35 and allows the spring 43 to act to disengage the pawl 35 from the ratchet 36.

I will now describe the mechanism for bunching the envelops.

It will be understood that the buncher-slide for bunching the envelops is locked or held stationary at one end of its movement while twenty-five envelops are being carried into the till, and thenthe buncher-slide is automatically operatedevery time an envelop is carried into the till until another twenty-five envelops are carried into the ,till to move said twentyfive envelops out of line with the preceding twenty-five envelops, and the operation is repeated for each bunch of twenty-five envelops.

The envelop-buncher slide consists of a plate 47, having. the upwardly-extending ends 48 secured thereto, which are curved toward the till, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The distance apart of the ends 48 corresponds to the length of the envelops. The plate 47 is secured upon the reciprocating slide 49, mounted to have a movement in a horizontal plane in the bearing 50 on the plate 4". (See Figs. 7 and 8.) Extending out from one end of the slide 49 is a pin 51, which is encircled by a spiral spring 52, having a bearing against the end of the slide 49 and the end of the chamber in the bearing 50. (See Fig. 8.)

I will now describe the operation of the envelop-buncher slide mechanism to bunch the envelops.

IIO

Fast on the shaft 38 is a cam 54, which has one-half of its periphery of reduced diameter, as shown in Fig. 6. On the periphery of the cam 54: travels a roll 55, mounted on a pin 56, fast in the lever 57, and through a slot in said lever the shaft 38 extends. A spring 58 acts to hold the roll 55 in engagement with the periphery of the cam 54:. The end of the lever 57 is held in position by a strap 59, secured to the plate a, as shown in Fig. 7. Extending out from one side of the lever 57 is an extension 57, which is connected by a link 60 with a locking-pawl 61, pivoted at 61' on a projection 50 on the bearing 50. A rotary motion is communicated to the shaft 38 and the cam 5%, fast thereon, by the rotation of the ratchet 36 through the engagement of the pawl 35, above described, and the dimensions of the cam 54: are such that the cam will make one complete revolution during the time that fifty envelops are carried into the till from the drier and a onehalf revolution during the time that twentylive envelops are carried into the till from the drier. The cam-arm 44 is fast on a shaft 62, which has communicated thereto a rocking motion through a cam 63, fast on the shaft 28, extending through a slot in the arm 64:, carrying a roll 65, engaging said cam and held in engagement therewith by a spring 66. (See Fig. 1.) The opposite end of the arm 6-I is connected by an arm 67 with the shaft Tllhrouglnthe cam 63 and intermediate connections a regular rocking motion is communicated to the cam-arm H, which engages with its cam-surface a friction-roll 68 on a pin 69 in the end of the slide 49 when the slide i9 is in the position shown in Fig. 8 to positively move said slide 49 and the plate 47 to the right preparatory to receiving an envelop from the drier. The spring acts to return the slide &9 and the plate s7 when the cam-arm a1 is moved out of engagement with the roll 68 to carry the envelop to the left to be carried into the till out of line with the preceding bunch, as shown in Fig. 2. During the revolution of the cam 5i when the frictionroll 55 is traveling on the enlarged surface of said cam, as shown in Fig. '7, the lever 57 will be held in its upper position to hold, through link 60, the locking-pawl 61 out of engagement with the notch *9" in the slide i9,(see Fig. 7,) and the plate 17 will be moved, as above described; but when in the continued revolution of the cam 5% through the movement of the ratchet 36 the roll 55 passes onto the reduced portion of the cam 54: then the spring 58 will act to draw down the lever 57 and through link 60 move upthe locking-pawl 61 to enthe notch T9 in the slide 49, as shown in Fig. 8, and to hold said slide which has been moved by the engagement of the arm M with the roll 68 into position for the notch as to be engaged by said pawl 61.

IE) and the plate LT now remain stationary for a half-revolution of the cam 54 through the movement of the ratchet 36. Aftcrtwentyfive envelops have been carried into the till the lever 57 is again moved to release the locking-pawl 61 from engagement with the notch 4:9 in the slide 49 and allow the spring to act to move over the slide &9 and plate 17, as shown in Fig. 7, preparatory to having another twenty-live envelops carried into the till at. and the operation is repeated.

The ad vantages of my improvements in envelop machines, above described, will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

I provide a very simple mechanism, the movement of which may be adjusted as desired, for removing the envelops from the drier, and combined with said mechanism I providespring-actuated binders with a recess or curved portion therein for holding and guiding the envelop as it is removed from the drier and carried into the till, which will allow free delivery of the envelop. I provide a simple counting and bunching mechanism. The indicator -linger for counting the envelops is easily operated by the forward movement of the envelop and is weighted to return to its normal position after the passage of the envelop without the employment of a spring ordinarily employed for this purpose. The counting mechanism regulates the movement of the buncher-slide, which is stationary at one end of its movement while twenty-live envelops are carried into the till and is automatically moved to guide the envelops into the till while the next twenty-live envelops are carried into the till. The number of envelops in a bunch may be varied, if desired.

It will be understood that the details of construction of my improvements may be varied, if desired.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an envelop-machine, the combination with mechanism for removing the envelops from the drier in alinement with the drier, of means for operating said mechanism and adjusting the amount of travel thereof, said means consisting of a cam, a lever having a slot therein through which the shaft carrying the cam extends, and a roll thereon to engage the periphery of said cam, two upright swinging levers adjustably connected with the camlever, and connections from said upright levers to the mechanism for removing the envelops from the drier, substantially as shown and described.

2. In an envelop-machine,the combination with the pushers which push the envelops out of the drier in a direction in alinement with the drier, of means for operating said pushers and adjusting the amount of travel thereof, said means consisting of a cam fast on a ro- The slide tarvshaft. alever havingaslot therein through which said shaft extends, and a roll on said lever to engage the periphery of said cam, two upright swinging levers, a connection between said levers, and one of said levers hav ing a slot therein, a bolt adjustable in said slot, and connecting the cam-lever therewith, and connections from said two swinging levers to the pushers, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an envelop-machine, the combination with the pushers which push the envelops out of the drier, in alinement with the drier, of two spring blades or binders, which extend out beyond the pushers, and have a curved portion or recess therein, substantially as shown and described.

4:. In an envelop-machine, the combination with the till having adownwardly-curved inner end, a lifter-plate upon which the envelops are pushed from the drier,- and means for operating said lifter-plate to carry the envelops into the till, of the counting and bunching mechanism, comprising a tilting finger extending in the path of and engaged by an envelop passing into the till, an indicating-finger moving with said tilting finger, a weight to counterbalance said fingers, a ratchet, a pawl adapted to be engaged by the indicating-finger and moved into engagement with the ratchet, a buncher-slide, means for operating the pawl to turn said ratchet, and a cam con nected with said ratchet and having two camsurfaces thereon, and a lever operated by said cam, a locking-pawl operated by said lever to be engaged with, or disengaged from the buncher-slide, and means for communicating motion thereto to move the envelops in the bunching operation, substantially as shown and described.

5. In an envelop-machine, the combination with the buncher-slide having a reciprocating motion, and means for reciprocating said slide at regular intervals, to move the envelops, of means for looking or holding said slide for a predetermined period, and during the carrying of acertain number of envelops into the till, and means for unlocking or releasing the slide at regular predetermined intervals, to allow the slide to operate to move the envelops, substantially as shown and described.

' 6. In an envelop-machine, the combination with the pushers which push the envelops out of the drier in alinement with the drier, and two spring blades or binders, which extend out beyond the pushers and have a curved portion or recess therein, of the till, having a guide-strip thereon to be engaged by the envelop as it is pushed out of the drier onto the lifting-plate, substantially as shown and described.

EZRA P. WATERHOUSE. Witnesses:

J. C. DEWEY, M. HAAS. 

